Foods and food contact surfaces are susceptible to contamination by undesirable bacteria (e.g. food-borne pathogenic or food spoilage bacteria). For example, Salmonella (the most important cause of food-borne disease outbreaks in the United States) is estimated to be responsible for over a billion dollars annually of losses to the U.S. economy. However, extensive research over many years has been unsuccessful in eliminating this problem, indicating the need for entirely new approaches to this long-standing problem. The present invention is directed to a unique, totally new approach to this restive problem area, through the application of the principles of biological control of the microbiological environment.
The few attempts at biological control in food-associated microbiological ecologies have for the most part used competitive species or their active products, such as lactic acid bacteria and nisin, respectively. However, control in these instances is limited by its passivity, whereas by contrast, the present invention employs an active process involving aggressive predators of pathogenic bacteria.
Neal et al in "Bdellovibrio in Foods" Journal of Food Science, Vol. 42, No.2 (1977), pages 555-556, disclose inoculating ground beef and fluid milk with Bdellovibrio, but discuss only spoilage microorganisms, provide meager data and achieve only negative results. By contrast the present invention is directed to reduction of both pathogenic and spoilage bacteria, and specifically excludes the treatment of ground beef and fluid milk.
An English language abstract of French patent 2,302,103 issued Oct. 29, 1976 to M. Plisser, refers to using Bdellovibrio as an additive for animal feeds. By contrast the present invention is directed to certain foods for human consumption.